Chair structure



Aug. 1, 1950 A. c. HOVEN ETAL CHAIR STRUCTURE Filed May 24, 1947 game/Mom Alfred C. H01)en mllz'am Jiiiadfiezy Patented Aug. 1, 1950 CHAIR STRUCTURE Alfred C. H'ovenand William S. Lindberg, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignors to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich, a. corporation of New Jersey Application May 24, 1947, Serial No. 750,336

,6 Claims. (01. 155- 134) The present invention relates to chair structures of the type usedin motor busses, railway coaches and the like. l

The primary objects of the invention are to provide an upholstered chair structure having means on the back panel thereof for receiving and retaining a display card having advertising material thereon, so that when the chair structures are installed in vehicles in the usual manner one behind another, the occupant of one such structure will view the advertising material on the rear of the chair structure in front of him; to provide stamped sheet metal means for removably mounting a display card or panel on the rear surface of a stamped sheet metal chair back panel, the construction being such that the parts are easily and inexpensively fabricated and assembled; to provide such a structure in which, although the back is inclined upwardly-wear- Wardly for the comfort of the chair occupant, the display panel is in a more nearly vertical position thus to facilitate the readingof copy on the display card by the occupant of the chair to the rear; and to provide such a chair structure in which the display panel and the frame therefor are so mounted on the back panel that there are no projecting parts to snag the clothing of persons occupying or vacating the chair struc-.

ture to the immediate rear thereof.

These objects are attained by the illustrative embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a rear perspective View of a chair structure of the type which is commonly installed in city busses, and showing a panel mounted on the rear thereof bearing the inscription Display in lieu of advertising material;

Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view of the same taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1,; i 1 l Figure 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of a bus chair back with a-display panel mounted thereon, the construction here shown being a modification of that shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view thereof taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view thereof taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Referring now in detail to this drawing and referring first particularly to the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2, the bus chair there shown generally comprises a frame l0 and legs ll of tubular metal construction, having a conings (not shown) ventional upholstered seat l2 and an upholstered having a forwardly drawn recess l6 therein, the

{top wall ll of which recess 18 is substantially horizontal as here shown and the front wall l8 of which recess is inclined upwardly-forwardly relative to the main body of the back panel, said front wall l8 being nearly vertical as here shown.

As best seen in Figure 2, a display panel frame ismounted on the rear surface of the front wall I8 of the recess [6, and said frame comprises a pairof horizontal flange members I9, 20 secured as by welding to the front wall of the recess and having portions 2|, 22 respectively which extend rearwardly and then toward each other thus forming complementary, parallel upper and lower grooves into which may be slid a panel 23 bearing an advertisement or other material to be displayed.

Upholstery padding 24 of cotton, hair, moss or the like is disposed over the front surfaces of the back panel [4 including the top and front walls ,of the recess 16, and an upholstery covering 25 of leather, fabric or the like is disposed over the padding and secured at its edges to the edges of the back panel [4. Preferably the padding 24 and covering 25 ,are pre-assembled to a wooden frame 25 by means of tacks 2'1, and the unit thus made is assembled to the back panel [4 by means of wood screws 28 passing through apertures in the back panel and threaded in the wooden frame 26 thus lending a neat appearance tothe back. a

In Figures 3-5 inclusive is shown a slightly modified form of frame for the display panel 23. In this construction, the front wall I8 of the recess I6 of the back panel I4 has a plurality of tongue-receiving apertures 35 therethrough. The panel frame has tongues 3! at its rearward top and bottom, which tongues are inserted forwardly through the apertures 30 and are then bent over and spot welded to the front surface of the front wall I8 of the back panel M and the display panel frame is thus rigidly secured to the chair back panel. In this construction, the

panel frame is one integral, stamped sheet of metal, the parallel, rearwardly and inwardly extending, complementary flanges I9 and 20 of which are connected by end strips 32, 33 which complete the framing for the display panel. The right hand end strip 33 is desirably provided with a forwardly extending tongue 34, which is projected forwardly through an aperture 35 in the back panel and which is bent over and 'spotwelded to the back panel similarly to the tongues 32. The rearward portion of this tongue 34 serves as a stop for properly positioning the display panel 23 in the panel frame. The display panel 23 is flat and slightly flexible so that it may be slid-ingly inserted in the recess I6 as seen a the left of Figure 4.

In both of the embodiments of the invention hereinbefore described, it will be seen that the,

padding of the back isv diminished in the region of the back panels recess. There remains, however, sufiicient padding between the front wall of the recess and the upholstery covering so that the difference could not be detected by the chair occupant and this is especially so because of the location of the recess near-the top of the back. It will also be seen that the display panel is easily readable by an occupant of the chairin the rear of that shown, because of the near vertical position of this display panel, and that the back of the chair presents a smooth surface having no objectionable protruding parts.

While but two specific embodiments of the invention have been herein shown and described it will be understood that other modifications might be conceived without departing from the spirit of the invention as the same is defined by the following claims.

We claim 2 1. In a chairstructure, in combination: a back panel having an upholstered chair back on the front side of the back panel and a recess in the rear side of the back panel extending forwardly therefrom, and a pair of complementary, parallel flanges on the rear side of the back panel Within said recess adapted to s'lidingly receive and retain a display panel therebetween.

2. In a chair structure, in combination: an up wardly-reaiwvardly inclined back panel having an upholstered chair back on the front side of the back; panel, said, back panel having a forwardly wardly-forwardly relative to the main body of the back panel, upholstery padding over the front surfaces of the back panel including the front wall of said back panels recess, an upholstery covering over the padding having its edges secured to the edges of the back panel, and a display on the rear surface of the front wall of the recess.

4. In a chair structure, in combination: an upwardly-rearwardly inclined sheet metal back panel having a forwardly extending recess therein the front; wall of which recess extends upwardly-forwardly relative to the main body of the back panel, upholstery padding over the front surfaces of the back panel including the front wall of said back panels recess, an upholstery covering over the padding having its edges secured to the edges of the back panel, and display panel retaining means mounted on the front wall f e rece 5. In a chair structure, in combination: a sheet metalback panel. having an upholstered chair back on the front side of the back panel and having a plurality of tongue-receiving apertures therethroughand a sheet metal frame on the rear ideofthe hack-panel for receiving-a display panel, said frame comprising upper and lower flanges extending rearwardlyfrom the back panel andthen toward eachother-and adapted to slidi-ng-lyreceive and retain adisplay panel therebee tween, and tongues on saidframe inserted forwardly through said apertures and bent over for securing the frame to the back panel. I

6, Ina chair structure, in combination: anupwardly-rearwardlyincl-inedsheet metal back panel having-aforwardly extending recess therein the front wall- 'o-f which recess extends upwardlyforwardly relative to the mainbodyof the back panel andsaidfront wall having aplurality of tongue-receiving apertures therethroug h, a sheet metal frame mounted onthe rear surface of the front wall of said recess for receiving a display panel, said frame comprising upper and: lower flanges extending rearwardly f'rom the back panel andthen toward each other-and adapted to slidingl-y receive and retain a display panel therebetween, tongues on said frame" inserted forwardly through saidapertures and bent overforsecuring the frame tothe back panel, upholstery padding 'overthe front surfaces" of the back panel includingthe front wall of said back panel's recess, and a'n'; upholstery covering over thepadding having its edges secured to the edges of the back panel. I

ALFRED-C. HOVEN; WILLIAM-S LINDBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe file, ofv this, patent:

U STATES P T S.

Number Name Date e62fl23= Morss Nov. f0, 1891 1,639,085 Fohey Aug. 16, 192-! 1-,893g458 Tatum Jan. 3, 1933 2,252,970 Gedris; Aug. 19. 1 .941 2,343,505- Gedris Mar. 7; 1944 

